Fresh rap on helmetless bikers

Schoolchildren caught during the helmet checking drive at Agrico near Sidhgora on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Bikers and four-wheeler drivers flouting road rules were pulled up by East Singhbhum traffic police, which on Monday launched a fresh crackdown at strategic locations across Jamshedpur.

Traffic constables were deployed at squares and roundabouts at Sakchi, Bistupur, Golmuri, Mango and Sidhgora to intercept two-wheeler riders without helmets. Teenagers out on a spin without the safety headgear and licence were specially targeted during the crackdown that started at 10.30am.

Around 400 bikers were caught at various points for the next two hours. At Sakchi, over 150 youngsters, including schoolchildren, were disciplined. At Bistupur, around 100 more young bikers were pulled up for riding without helmets.

Each offender had to cough up a fine of Rs 200.

Deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Rakesh Mohan Sinha, who supervised the Bistupur crackdown, said the action would continue. “The helmet drive was a part of our regular policing and will continue,” he said.

Although helmet checking drive is common in the steel city, it was stopped more than a month ago after traffic constables were transferred.

“The traffic department now has a new set of personnel pulled in from other districts. Therefore, we decided to resume the crackdown,” said a senior officer.

The officer held the parents accountable for illegal biking by teenagers, which is most common on steel city roads.

“We alone cannot implement all rules. As a large number of offenders are school students, parents should take up some responsibilities too. They should not allow their wards to ride two-wheelers without helmets and licences,” he stressed.

Cars were not spared either.

Many four-wheelers came under the traffic heat at Bistupur for parking illegally.

The men in uniform put wheel locks on cars that were stationed in no-parking areas. The owners were asked to pay Rs 500 as fine.

The twin crackdowns were carried out for about two hours, but the traffic police plan to increase the duration in the coming days.

“We will increase the duration and also include more places,” said a traffic policeman at Sakchi.